The 2012 MotoGP Season is upon us!!

[Guest]

Well, it's about "kickoff" time for the GP season, and I gotta say, I don't think I've ever been more excited for the start!
Not only are we in store for a great season of top level racing from brand new prototype machines, but they're 1000cc's, all new.
Plus, and the most exciting part to me, we welcome the new CRT class of machines.
We all know that the factory machines will be the only real contenders for the title, but with seasoned veteran riders like Colin Edwards piloting the CRT Sueter chassis and BMW powered machine we will see power plants that haven't been on the GP circuit in some time. (how longs it been since a Beemer saw a GP track??) Plus Kawasaki and Aprilia are also powering CRT bikes. I think the most exciting racing will come from those guys for me.
I can't wait!!

[speedyandypandy]

Give Stoner the title and we'll call it a day ?

[TheCafeKid]

Give Stoner the title and we'll call it a day ?

Dunno...obviously the RC212 were the fastest machines out there on the straights last year. The M1s were able to carry more speed in the corners. We'll see if that carries through with the new bikes. Stoner is definitely talented, but I don't think he's head and shoulders above any of the other aliens...

[Shin-Ken 1074]

My 'Jobs To Do" home list is on ice for a few hours and the beers and snacks are lined up for the race to-day!!!!!! Like you TCK I have been looking forward to this race season with more interest than I usually have which is pretty high anyway. Let the tyre shreading begin, cheers.

[TheCafeKid]

Indeed don't spoil it for me now! we don't get air until tomorrow...
I have a new "guy to watch come on" now that Sic has left us..while Bradl shows some real talent, watch out for Mavyrick Vinales (not in the GP class currently, but I'd put money that he'll be there come next season..)

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Don't worry, you won't see me post race details here and spoil it for race fans like yourself. Don't you get the race meeting live where you are?

[TheCafeKid]

Don't worry, you won't see me post race details here and spoil it for race fans like yourself. Don't you get the race meeting live where you are?

Well it's Sunday where you are. Its only Saturday here I don't think they show it live...

[pete]

Oh I'm keen as mustard to see Stoner defend his title!

The Yammie's have caught up a lot too so there should be a good challenge this year.

My only disappointment was when Westy got dropped but at least he's in Moto2 again now

It's on at a watchable time here (4:30am tomorrow) but all depends how much alcohol is consumed this evening as to whether I watch it then or later... I'll be recording either way

[simon kuether]

All three races were brilliant ( I picked all three winners) .
Gonna be a good year by the looks of things .

Cheers , Simon .

[Greenbraes]

we have just watched all 3 races live...fantastic....I think the move to moto 3 from 125 was a good one, very entertaining and can't wait for the next one

I don't think stoner will let this happen again somehow

RB

[Allie]

Well, it's about "kickoff" time for the GP season, and I gotta say, I don't think I've ever been more excited for the start!
Not only are we in store for a great season of top level racing from brand new prototype machines, but they're 1000cc's, all new.
Plus, and the most exciting part to me, we welcome the new CRT class of machines.
We all know that the factory machines will be the only real contenders for the title, but with seasoned veteran riders like Colin Edwards piloting the CRT Sueter chassis and BMW powered machine we will see power plants that haven't been on the GP circuit in some time. (how longs it been since a Beemer saw a GP track??) Plus Kawasaki and Aprilia are also powering CRT bikes. I think the most exciting racing will come from those guys for me.
I can't wait!!

What the blue blazes CRT machines? Cathode Ray Tubes with wheels? Cenny Roberts Track?

1000ccs, what's up with that? 800 then 900 not enough after the switch to four strokes? I guess two strokes are completely out now, but didn't they used to have smaller classes like 250cc for two strokes or was that something other than GP? Do they have a corresponding four stroke class? You can probably tell I'm curious but way out of touch with racing.

[Syd]

GO CASEY GO. I'm 1 hours ride from Phillip Island and can't wait for October

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Syd you are one very well placed race fan, no wonder you can't wait until the race gets to The Island, cheers.

[simon kuether]

What the blue blazes CRT machines? Cathode Ray Tubes with wheels? Cenny Roberts Track?

1000ccs, what's up with that? 800 then 900 not enough after the switch to four strokes? I guess two strokes are completely out now, but didn't they used to have smaller classes like 250cc for two strokes or was that something other than GP? Do they have a corresponding four stroke class? You can probably tell I'm curious but way out of touch with racing.

Allie , the CRT (Claiming Right Teams) bikes are a prototype chassis with a 1000cc production based engine ( basically a superbike engine - an evovled road bike engine) in a flash frame .
They are slower than the prototype bikes ( "cutting edge technology engines , frames , suspensions , electronics ) and cheaper (because most of the engineering in the engines has already been done by BMW , Aprillia etc ) . They have been brought in to bolster the grid numbers and lower costs . They will be the GP bikes of the future . Affectively , there are now two classes in the premier class .

The prototype bikes are horrendously expensive ($40 odd million to run a team for a year) so numbers on the grid shrank to about 17 bikes . The CRT's are supposed to fix this , but they are relatively slow , (prolly lucky to pull 340 kph (the flash ones are doing 355 to 360 kph) .
If one of these bikes does beat a "flash murray" bike , then it's engine can be claimed by the team it beats , for 20,000 Euro .
Yeh , I know ??????
It's s'posed to discourage teams spending zillions in engine development .

All 3 classes (500 , 250 and 125's) were 2 strokes , but are all now four strokes .
Namely , Moto3 (250 cc single cylinder , in place of the 125's) , Moto2 (600cc Honda control engine in a prototype chassis , in place of the 250's) and MotoGP (now 1000CC and no more than 4 cylinders , in place of the 500's) .

The 500 two strokes were the first to go due to increasing pressure from the "market place" to cease 2 stroke production . Emmission , noise etc .
These were replaced with 990cc four strokes (any configuration of engines - v's or inline and any number of cylinders) . These were immediately faster than the stroker's .
A lot of the tracks soon became more dangerous because they now didn't have adequate run off areas , air fences etc , for the new faster bikes .
The answer was to reduce the capacity to 800cc because they would be slower .
But they weren't .
These bikes had to be ridden to their absolute limit and provided relatively boring racing due to having a "lack" of power to overtake . And all so incredibly close in performance , etc .

Enter bizzarely expensive and complex electronics and almost immediately , they were quicker than their bigger forerunners .
Insanely expensive though .

Now , enter the 1000's which have engineering limitations (bore and stroke , fuel capacity etc) so they would be slower and cheaper .
But they're not . (Bloody engineers and their cleverness) .
They are more powerful again so should provide more scope for passing (and they have) .
More goodly now , the racing .

They've also introduced a softer control tyre which warms up quickly but goes "off" towards the end of the race to make it more exciting (and they do) .

Hope this explains things a bit .

Don't worry about it all to much , just enjoy the "awesome" .

This year should be a cracker . The first race(s) were .

Cheers , Simon .

[koolaid_kid]

(Bloody engineers and their cleverness) .
Cheers , Simon .

Hey, watch those wise cracks about engineers, buddy.